A Recovery Gift
by rinsaya
Summary: When Korra is hurting, Mako tries to help her with a gift. Post-book 3. Kind of Makorra.


Korra was sad, and it wasn't a surprise.

But it upset Mako. Ever since the showdown against the Red Lotus, Korra had been downcast, and sleeping (or at least faking it) most of the time. Mako hated feeling so helpless, watching the once feisty Avatar reduced to a fragment of herself. A depressed, young woman who hid in the shadows. Sure, she'd laughed when they'd gone on their date-no, hang out with Bolin and Opal at Narook's Noodlery-but the smile was just a passing shadow of her former self.

Mako held the air bison plushee close to him, making his way across the pavilion to the women's quarters of Air Temple Island. He'd been staying at the air temple since his and his brother's apartment had become a vine garden. Mako hugged it closer to his chest, his breath coming out in clouds of steam around the cold winter air.

"Hey, Mako," he heard someone call after him. "Where you going?"

Mako turned to see his brother coming out after him. "Korra's room."

"Aren't you a little old for stuffed animals, Mako?" Bolin said, eyeing it.

Mako flushed even more than he had already been because of the winter chill. "It's for Korra."

"Trying to woo back your lady, I see," Bolin smirked, resting an arm on his brother's shoulder even though he was shorter than Mako. "I have some advice for you."

"Thanks, but I don't want to hear it," Mako grumbled, shoving his brother off of his shoulder.

Bolin sighed. "Oh. You're in one of your brooding moods again," he pouted.

"Look, sorry, bro. We can go out and get some dumplings later in the city. Your favourites."

"Apology accepted, Mako, but I'd rather stay here at the island. All nice and warm, with Opal," Bolin said, a dreamy gleam to his green eyes.

Mako nodded. "Alright. I'll catch you later."

"See ya, Mako."

Mako kept going, making his way to the girls' dormitories. He entered the building, relieved to have the warm air rush over him. He found Korra's room, the third on the right, and slid open the rice paper door quietly, where he saw Korra sleeping soundly. Asami, who was usually always at her side, was nowhere to be seen.

Mako was grateful that she was asleep, and he gently tucked the soft air bison stuffed animal in her arms. It meant a lot to him; he and Korra had won it at the Spirits Glacier Festival when they were still dating, and after their breakup he admittedly still slept with it because it used to smell like Korra: the sea, wild and unpredictable. Not anymore though-now it smelled like him: ashes mingled with gross cologne that he wore to mask his sweat when he worked at the police station.

Korra stirred, eyes fluttering to reveal the crystal blue beneath. Mako jumped back, knocking over a stool adjacent to the bed. "Uh, hi, Korra. Sorry to wake you," he stuttered. The stool fell with a crash on the ground.

"I was faking it anyway," she murmured, gathering the strength to sit up. "I thought you were Asami or Pema." Korra sat up, the bamboo bed creaking under her weight. She turned and saw the large white stuffed animal, squeezing it close to her. "What's this?"

"It's the air bison plushee we won at the Spirits Glacier Festival. Do you...do you remember it?"

Korra hugged it to her chest, burrowing her head into the soft fur. "Yeah," she replied, voice muffled. "It smells like you."

"Well, I'm gonna get going now…" Mako said awkwardly, backing towards the door.

"I missed this. Maybe I could sleep for once," Korra said.

Mako smiled. "Anything for you," he replied quietly.

The Avatar closed her eyes, laying back down. "Thank you," she breathed.

Soon, Mako heard the familiar, yet strange sounds of her gentle breathing as she fell asleep. He stood there, watching the rise and fall of her chest, and then turned with a smile on his face as he walked away, nostalgically thinking back to the time when he and Korra were still together, when she was unbroken.

He silently hoped that one day she'd be that girl again. But for now, he would do anything in his power to make sure he would be able help Korra become herself again.


End file.
